James a



(No Model.) J, A. MALONEY.

. I Ira m7 N. PETERS. Pbmo-lflbognpim: lllllllllll C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MALONEY, OF -WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR,

BY DIRECT AND .LWIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MICHAEL J. COLBERT, TRUS- TEE, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECULUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,160, dated September 17, 1889. Application filed December 15, 1888. Serial No. 293,693. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. MALoNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- IO pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of instrumentssuch as speculums, catheters, and similar devices-which are used to enter the natural orifices of the body.

Heretofore these instruments have been constructed of metal or rubber, and the same instruments have been used upon all patients by physicians, which .is very repugnant to sensitive people. The dangers arising from the use of the same instruments upon all, es pecially' where there,are discharges from the organ to be examined, is apparent to all, and needs no further comment.

The object of my invention is to cheapen 2 5 the construction of this class of devices, so

that there will be no necessity of using an instrument upon more than one person or one time.

The invention consists of an instrument made of paper stiffened, all as will hereinafter be described in the specification, and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which show,

Figure 1, a longitudinal section, and in Fig.

2 a side elevation, of anv aural speculum.

A represents the speculum, made of paper, preferably of card-board out to the desired shape and placed upon a former of metal,

after having its abutting edges a treated to a coating of cement or paste to hold it in shape after being dried. It may be treated with a coat of wax, paraffine, or any other suitable material, if desired, to protect the parts with which it comes in contact. 5

The economy in manufacturing such a device is apparent, and all danger from conta-. gion is removed, as the device will be so cheap that it can be destroyed after using once. Furthermore, the speculum avoids all danger of chilling the parts when used in cold Weather, as is the case when metal or rubber is used.

As it is obvious that many other instruments other than speculums for entering the natural orifices of the body could be made of the same material without departing from my invention, I therefore do not limit said invention to speculums, but propose to use itin all forms of instruments which are used to enter the natural orifices of the body.

What I claim as new is- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a surgical instrument for entering the natural orifices of the body, made of paper stiffened, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a stirgical instrument for entering the natural orifices of the body, made of paper stiffened and coated with a preservative material, substan- 7o tially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. MALONEY. \Vitnesses:

S. A. TERRY, JOHN A. RoLLINes. 

